Disclaimer: Nope, don't own it. But I do own (thinks for a moment)...ok...so I don't own much...never mind then.
Hello, and welcome to chapter 16! Wow, it sounds like I'm welcoming you to a theme park or something...yea; I'm in an okay mood today. Not much is happening, so I'll just get right into the chapter!
Chapter 16- Nightmares
The blue eyed man walked up to Kagome, who was as shocked as everyone else around her. "I don't think I got your name last time." He smirked and his canines glistened, Kagome noticed for the first time how sharp those teeth actually were.
"I'm Kagome. You're...Kouga, right?" She asked shyly.
He nodded in response then turned to the baffled hanyou. "So, mutt...I hope you've been taking good care of my little cousin. I also hope you've been taking care of this lovely Kagome."
Kagome blushed brightly at the compliment. Inuyasha clenched his fists. "What the hell are you doing here!" He directed at Kouga. Before the wolf yokai had a chance to respond though, Inuyasha then turned to Kagome. "And why are you blushing like that?"
"Well," she started, "it's not like you say sweet things like that all the time! How do you expect me to react when he compliments me?"
Inuyasha's scowl turned into a smirk. "I don't need to say anything to get you to blush like that."
Kouga's eyes got wide and he stepped in front of the beet-red Kagome whose mouth was gaping. "Exactly what do you mean by that, idiot?"
The hanyou chuckled, "Wouldn't you like to know!" With that being said, he swung his fist up in a punch, planning to knock that stupid wolf right in the jaw...but instead, fell to the floor, apparently missing Kouga completely.
'I know I would've hit him!' Inuyasha thought as he shoved himself up off the ground. "What are you pulling here, you stinkin' wolf!" He growled, glaring dangerously at the smirking demon in front of him.
"Unlike you, I'm not solid...not yet at least."
...Confused glare from everyone (minus Kaede, she seems to know about everything)...
"Huh?" Sango asked, finally breaking the silence.
Kaede stepped forward. "This is his spirit. We need to take him to an acquaintance of mine to give him a solid body. Though I may not agree with her magic, it is the only thing we can do to give Kouga a body. Even then, it won't be a true body, but one of clay." The old woman explained.
Miroku laughed. "Like a clay pot! Could we paint him too?" That remark was responded with a glare from Kouga.
"Keh, I'll break him in half then!" Inuyasha yelled.
"Inuyasha," the youngest servant girl growled, "we need his help. You can't go and kill the guy just because you're jealous."
Her master's face dropped. "I'm not jealous!" He said, almost like a child not getting his way.
Kaede grumbled a bit before finally saying, "Are you all coming? I would like to get this done today. I still have business you know."
Everyone in the room looked at the old woman and the arguing ceased.
0o0o0o0
"LOOOORD SESHOOOOUUUUMARUUUU!!! Where are you milord?" The voice snapped the western ruler out of his daydream. He had made his way over to his secretary's desk to ask her something, but she wasn't there, and then he happened to look out the window. That's when he dozed off...standing at the window. Now, the familiar toad's voice grabbed his attention.
"Jaken." He turned around to find the source of the racket.
The little green toad demon was making his way through a number of people. "I came to bring you the papers, milord." Jaken said when he finally reached Sesshoumaru, catching his breath as he spoke.
"What papers?" Sesshoumaru asked dryly, seemingly not very interested.
"If you kept you pretty head outa the clouds for two minutes you might be able to keep up with what goes on in your land." Kagura's voice laced the air in answer to his question. She sauntered over to where the lord and his assistant presently stood. "Jaken," She addressed the demon as she walked up. He scowled back up at her.
Frankly, Jaken didn't care too much for Kagura. He had to admit though; she kept up with a lot. If it weren't for her organization and keen sense of order, the western lands would be a mess. She helped Sesshoumaru a lot more than most secretaries did. In fact, she practically ran the lands behind the stage curtains.
"The papers that Naraku fellow signed...ya know, for control over Kouga's company?" Sesshoumaru still stared at her blankly. Kagura shook her head and sighed. "You met with the man yesterday, surely your power of recall is great enough to remember that!"
The great lord frowned slightly. "Of course I remember."
"Then why didn't you say so?" His secretary growled.
"You kept talking. I wasn't going to interrupt you." Sesshoumaru replied smoothly.
Kagura glared at him. "Don't make a fool of me." She turned sharply on her heals and headed towards her desk. "Go...sign some papers or something!" She yelled after she sat down.
'What joy,' Sesshoumaru thought. 'My favorite thing to do.' He then sent Jaken off to get him some coffee, since it didn't seem like Kagura would be willing to. He stood staring out the window for a moment, then turned to enter his office.
After he shut the door behind him, his cell phone rang. He grabbed it off his hip and flipped it open. "Yes?" He drawled.
"We got someone." A husky voice was on the other end.
"Oh?" He asked as his eyebrows rose.
"Yea, some old hag. But not only that, get this, Kouga's friggin ghost is gonna be helping us."
"Kouga?" Sesshoumaru's brows grew close at hearing this.
"Yep. Has something to do with 'the Council.' Hopefully we can stop Kikyou before some scene is made."
"Inform me when you start to formulate a plan." Sesshoumaru then heard some voices in the background.
"Kouga wants to know who's taking over in his place." His brother growled.
"Naraku. He seems capable."
More shouts and yells and something that sounded like 'that idiot' and a few 'no's' were heard.
"Gotta go. The stupid wolf's gotta get an actual body."
Sesshoumaru snapped his phone shut and placed it back at his hip right at Jaken came in with his coffee...paper signing time...the highlight of his day.
0o0o0o0
The traveling group walked out of the small building that belonged to the 'witch' that could give life back to the dead. According to her, it was her specialty, and she did it willingly. It was a simple task, one that was done quickly. They walked down the street as the sunlight faded and the streetlights came on one by one. Demons walked happily down the sidewalks, laughing and talking to one another. It was a depressing thought that one woman could end all their lives in an instant if she wished.
Kaede was dropped off at her 'home,' and the others made their way back to the hotel. This led to another problem. Kouga. Where would he sleep? He couldn't stay in Sango's room (she had proclaimed it hers, since she seemed to be the one in charge); there were already four bodies in there. That left the room with Inuyasha and Kagome. This proved to be an even larger problem.
"NO WAY! That stupid wolf is NOT sleeping in our room, Kagome!" Inuyasha protested.
The servant girl placed her hands on her hips. "Well, what do you suggest we do with him? Do you want to pay for another room for him to stay in?" She asked.
Her hanyou master pouted. "He can sleep on the floor. The guy's not even alive! He doesn't need to sleep! He can stand outside the doors for all I care!"
"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled.
"Kagome" He replied in a mocking tone.
She sighed heavily. This wasn't working. Kouga needed to stay in a room. She had offered the idea of letting him sleep on the couch in the living room, but Inuyasha said no. He didn't want Kouga in their room at all. Actually, he didn't want Kouga near Kagome...at all.
"Inuyasha, at least let him stay in the room. I'm not saying he has to sleep in the same bed as us, or even in the same room." Kagome tried to reason with her master.
"That idiot is not stepping foot inside our suite. I'd rather pay for another room before that happened." Inuyasha spat.
"Then do that." Kagome said. "He needs a place to stay."
Inuyasha was about to protest, but Kagome placed her hand on his arm and said, "Please?"
That was all she said. Inuyasha caved in. "Fine, I'll pay for another room. But only because you want me to."
Kagome squealed with delight. She leaned up on her toes and pecked him quickly on the nose. "Thank you!"
The girl was making her way to the door and right before she opened it a hand grabbed her wrist. She turned to face her master with a puzzled expression.
"Can't you come up with a better thanks than that?" He asked grinning.
She rocked back and forth on her heals and looked up to the ceiling as if she were thinking it over. "Better thank you than what?" She asked as her arms slid up around his neck.
Inuyasha leaned down to the point that their noses touched. "I think you have an idea." He whispered.
"Hmm...I may." After saying that, Kagome pressed her lips to his, playing along with his childish games. He pulled away a moment later to take a breath.
"Now, I guess I have to thank you for that, don't I?" He asked playfully.
Kagome smiled. "It would be the polite thing to do."
Inuyasha pulled her closer to make it seem more intimate. Kagome turned her head slightly to deepen the feeling that was flowing through her. Her fingers ran through his silver hair, and unknowingly, the ring she wore got caught.
There was a knock at the door. "Hey!" Sango's voice reached their ears. "What're we gonna do with Kouga...Hello?"
Kagome and Inuyasha pulled away from each other quickly. A little...too...quickly.
"OWW!" Inuyasha yelled as Kagome went to open the door.
"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!" Kagome looked at her hand, then to the door.
"Are you two okay in there?"
"J-just a minute, Sango!" Kagome yelled through the door. "Inuyasha, we're going to need help. I'm gonna have to let her in."
"Are you serious? She'll ask why your hand is in my hair!" Inuyasha hissed.
"Well...I'll come up with something! But I have to let her in!"
Inuyasha just stuck his nose up, accepting defeat. Kagome used her other hand to turn the knob. She smiled weakly at the elder girl in the doorway. "Sango," she said sweetly, "we are in need of your assistance. Ya think you can..." Sango stepped in a little further to get a view of the problem, "help us out?" Kagome finished meekly.
Sango's eyebrows rose and she stared at them for a moment. "Y-yea. Umm...just...okay...umm..." She pulled, poked, and prodded at her master's hair, and fidgeted with Kagome's hand before finally getting the two undone. Afterwards, Kagome was rubbing her hand and Inuyasha was rubbing his abused head.
"Okay, now that this situation is under control, what are we gonna do with Kouga."
Kagome glanced at Inuyasha before saying, "Our loving master here has decided that Kouga will get his own room here."
Sango just nodded. "Okay." She turned to leave, but just as the door was almost shut and Kagome and Inuyasha had both released the breath they had been holding for so long, Sango turned back to them. "Just...how did your hand get in his hair, Kagome?"
The younger servant opened and closed her mouth a few times, looking very similar to a fish out of water. "Well, you see...uh, his hair...there was a...knot, and I was trying to get it out. Silly me, left my ring on." Kagome said with a fake laugh. Sango looked confused, but nodded nonetheless, finally leaving and shutting the door.
That evening was quiet. In 'Sango's room,' the children had fallen asleep quickly, leaving Sango and Miroku to play a few card games. The other couple sat around lazily watching TV. After a while, they all settled down where they slept. Sango crept into the bed with the children, and Miroku grabbed the blanket for the couch (against their deal, he never slept in the bed). Kagome and Inuyasha both crawled under the covers of their bed on their separated sides, and sleep eventually enveloped them all and they dreamed.
OOO
"Here, take this ring." An older girl looked down to her younger sister, smiling to assure the younger one that things would be okay.
"What for? Mama gave it to you." The younger girl inquired.
"I know. Someday, you'll be able to give it back, Kagome." The older girl said, her eyes glossed over with unshed tears.
"How? They're taking you away!" Kagome yelled, clinging to her sister.
"I promise I'll save you. I'll come back and take you away from this life. Then...that's when you can give it back." The older raven-haired girl said between tears.
"You promise...that you'll come back for me?"
"Yes...and remember, Kagome, I love you." The older sister kissed Kagome on her forehead, as if sealing the promise.
Already the men had come. They were taking away her sister; taking her to another family where they would never meet again. Kagome tried to run after her older sister, she tried not to cry, she tried to show that she was strong, but it all failed as the tears fell and she trembled.
"Sister!" She screamed.
"Remember our promise Kagome! Remember me!" Her sister yelled as she looked back from the arms of her captors.
Blackness soon took over, and the youngest fell into an infinite darkness.
Sister.
OOO
Inuyasha woke up due to the squirming of the sleeping girl next to him. He turned over and almost immediately the waves of sadness and fear emitting from her hit his senses. He looked questionably at his young servant girl. 'What could she be dreaming about that's making her so uneasy?' He inched closer to her to study her face. She looked like a scared child.
"Kagome," Inuyasha shook her shoulders to get her to wake up. "Kagome, wake up, please." Asking someone to do something was a rare action for the hanyou, but he couldn't stand to see his friend in this state; so desperate looking. He pulled her up to a sitting position and shook her again. "Wake up! You're having a nightmare!"
Kagome's arms wound around him tightly and she buried her face in his chest. "Don't leave me." She whispered. Inuyasha's ears twitched and his face grew a slight shade of pink. She was still asleep, but that didn't seem to matter, having her say that seemed to spark something in him.
Soon, he felt her tears moisten his bare chest and he looked down to the girl. He placed one of his hands on the small of her back and moved the other to her head, running his fingers through her hair in somewhat of a petting motion. "I won't leave you. I'm right here for you." He leaned down and kissed her forehead gently, and she eased in his arms.
Inuyasha moved so that he was leaning up against the headboard of the bed, but made it so that he was still able to hold her. She slept soundly after that, leaving the dreams behind to rest in her memory until the images surfaced again to haunt her.
0o0o0o0
'So warm,' Kagome thought as she began to wake up. 'So warm and comfortable. I don't want to get up.' She moved a little bit and noticed that someone was holding her. 'Who the...?' She let one of her eyes slide open to view her master, who was still asleep. 'Inuyasha? What on Earth?' She tried to squirm out, but that only made him tighten his grip on her. 'This is great,' she thought, 'just great.' Even still, part of her told her she was enjoying it, and that same part wanted to stay right there. The rational side of her was the part that was guiding her this time though, and she figured she needed to get out of his arms before he woke up. For all she knew, it may have happened in his sleep, and if he woke up, he might not be too happy. Then there was always the chance of room service coming in. That wouldn't be good either, but they weren't supposed to come in until they had left the room for the day, so they were still safe Kagome figured.
"I need you...I need..." The gruff voice drew Kagome's mind away from her thoughts, and directed her attention to Inuyasha. 'He's talking in his sleep?' She thought.
He continued to mumble, and she was quiet so she could catch it all. "I need to be...inside you..."
Kagome's eyes grew wide. 'Who the heck is he talking about?'
"...Kagome..."
The girl's face turned red faster than it had ever before. 'Dear gods...dear gods...he's...he's talking about me!' She placed her hands on his chest and after a while of pushing, was able to get away from her warm haven. She quickly made for the bathroom, not really knowing were else to go to gather her senses. She closed the door quietly and leaned against it as she let out a deep sigh. 'He didn't mean it. He was only dreaming. And just because he said my name after it all, doesn't mean he was dreaming or talking about me. It was all just coincidental.
Kagome washed her face off and looked at her reflection. 'Okay...okay...if I don't say anything about it, he won't remember. That way, I won't be put in an awkward situation.' She inhaled deeply and opened the door. She peaked in the bedroom to see if he was still sleeping; he was. She quietly made her way to the dresser and picked out the skirt and button up shirt outfit that Sango had worn not too long ago. Glancing at Inuyasha, she changed as fast as she could and then went into the living area so as not to disturb her master.
She was sitting there lazily when she heard a knock at the door. Kagome hopped up and went to answer it. Sango poked her head in. "I see you're awake. Where's Inuyasha?" Her friend asked.
"Still asleep." Kagome replied. "But come in anyway. Where're Miroku and the little ones?" She asked, noticing that Sango was alone.
The older girl chuckled. "Oh, I think Miroku is attempting to get them ready. We were talking last night and he said he wanted to have lots of kids. So this morning I told him it'd be great practice to get the kids ready."
Kagome laughed at her friend's cleverness. "Ya think he changed his mind?"
Sango grinned devilishly. "I believe so."
"Well," Kagome started, "go get them, I'll wake our dear master up, and we'll meet downstairs for breakfast. Okay?"
Sango nodded. "Sounds like a plan. Later, Kagome!"
0o0o0o0
Whew...that was the first time I've had writer's block. After that dream sequence I swear, I was just staring at the computer, not knowing where to go next. At least I'm done now! I hope it turned out alright! Now for Thank You's!
DramaQueenABZ: Yes, Kouga's back and ready to argue with Inuyasha over Kagome. I find the whole thing funny too. And yes, Inuyasha is hot for an anime character. I think it's impossible to be a main character and be ugly in this series. I mean, really, does anyone else notice that? Even half of the bad guys don't look too bad (Bankotsu...yes, very hot. And personally, I think Jakotsu is adorable not hot, there's a difference-in a teddy bear huggles kinda way. Maybe it's because we share similar taste in guys, I duno...hehe. I feel bad for him cuz a lot of people don't like the fact that he's gay.)
Ok people, review please! Oh, and go read DramaQueenABZ's fic. It's good and I promise you'll enjoy it! Outie for now!
